The October 2007 Southern California wildfires, which caused one of the largest evacuations in the state’s history, were a wake-up call about how quickly and unexpectedly a disaster can strike. Evacuating families had to deal with quickly gathering the necessary supplies, locating their loved ones and seeking help all at the same time – a terrifying scenario for anyone.

The response to the wildfires has been deservedly praised and was a testament to the hard work of many fire and police responders, volunteers, and government and community organizations that provided help to those in need. The American Red Cross provided nearly 25,000 overnight stays in 26 shelters throughout Southern California and served more than 375,000 meals and snacks at more than 80 feeding sites.

It is impossible to predict when the next disaster will hit. A 2007 survey by the American Red Cross and the Council for Excellence in Government shows that even with a history of natural disasters, Americans will not be prepared for the next Big One. In fact, the majority of Americans remain unprepared for a disaster – 23percent have not taken even a single action to prepare for a catastrophe, and only 4 percent have taken all of the recommended preparedness actions.

Many people expect government agencies to be prepared for and provide help during a disaster. However, local government officials, including those in Los Angeles, must spread limited resources to address both current challenges, such as ensuring public safety or reliable public transportation, and prepare for future, unexpected disasters. While elected officials are doing the best they can to address these needs, it is critically important for individuals to also help themselves and take steps to prepare for the next disaster.

The good news is that preparing for a disaster can be a simple process for individuals, families and businesses, and help is available. Most people know that the Red Cross responds in times of catastrophic disasters, but may be surprised to learn the Red Cross is also committed to assisting individuals and communities prepare for disasters, such as wildfires, earthquakes and single-family home fires.

The Red Cross advises everyone to take three actions to prepare for emergencies: Get or put together an emergency kit, formulate a family plan and get more information on the types of disasters that can occur in our area. (More information about disaster planning can be found at RedCrossLA.org.) A family plan can be critical in keeping families safe and well informed of each other’s status during a disaster.

For example, families cannot assume they will be together during an emergency. Individual family members should know what to do if a disaster strikes at home, school or work, including the contact information of a relative or loved one living outside of Los Angeles who can be the single point of contact. There also are supplies and skills that every family should have to be prepared for the first critical days after a disaster when help can be difficult to reach or delayed.

We may not be able to predict when the next disaster will strike, but being prepared is the best disaster response any of us can have – and it is within our reach. Preparing for disasters will also ultimately save lives and government and organizational resources. Let us put the effort in ahead of time and together commit to making 2008 a year of better preparedness for everyone.

Paul Schulz is chief executive officer of the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles.